Friday, April 11, 2008

Quote of the Day
"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example."
- Mark Twain

Hot Topic
01. Hillary Clinton to Visit Drexel Today

Topics of the Day
02. Department of Bioscience to Present Lecture: “Ecosystem Trajectories and Coastal Ecosystem Restoration”
03. 2008 Hermes Expo: Travel and Tourism Conference Today
04. Live Television Town Hall Meeting on Alzheimer’s Tonight on WHYY-TV
05. CEO Workshop Today: "Getting to Know Your Personality"
06. A Frank Conversation with Book Review Editor Frank Wilson Today
07. Computer Science to Present: "Learning the Data Representation for Modeling, Classification and Clustering" Today
08. Drexel Players to Present Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead This Weekend
09. Panel Discussion: “Let’s Talk Relationships”
10. Pi Kappa Alpha to Host 2nd Annual Relay for Life This Weekend
11. IFC to Sponsor Volleyball Tournament Today
12. Interfaith Council to Host Trip to Holocaust Museum This Weekend
13. Center City Campus Free Movie Tonight: Lions for Lambs
14. Physician Assistant Programs to Host Philabundance Fundraiser Tonight
15. Now Recruiting Students for Performance with Bread and Puppet
16. New Preferred Vendor for Hon Furniture Products
17. Public Exhibition and Lecture: Japanese Prints from The Drexel Collection™
18. 2007 W-2 Forms and TurboTax Option
19. Skin Cancer Educational Study by Appointment
20. Save the Date: Inspire a Child to Dream Day
21. Computer Science to Present a Talk on Systems Design and Analysis for Laboratory Automation
22. In Memoriam: Dr. Sam Kurokawa, Dr. Maria Rotter

 
Hillary Clinton to Visit Drexel Today

Senator Hillary Clinton (above) will hold a town hall meeting today, April 11, 2008, at 5 p.m. in the Great Court of Main Building (32nd and Chestnut Streets).

Senator Clinton is expected to be joined by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. The event will be open to the public and members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions of Senator Clinton. Audience members will be admitted first-come, first-served beginning at 3:30 p.m. via the Chestnut Street entrance to Main Building, in order to accommodate security.

To allow the Secret Service to implement security measures, Main Building will be closed from noon to 1:30 p.m. today. Classes in Main Building will be unaffected. Employees working in Main will be required to vacate the building at noon and return at 1:30 p.m. through the Chestnut Street entrance. All other entrances to Main Building will be closed until after the event.

To view a live Webcast of the event, visit http://www.drexel.edu.

Senator Clinton’s visit is aligned with the mission of Drexel Votes 2008, http://www.drexel.edu/vote2008/, which is committed to immersing students in the political process during the 2008 election cycle. Drexel looks forward to the possibility of hosting similar events with Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain.

Other Drexel Votes 2008 initiatives have included last October’s Democratic presidential candidates’ debate, the Philadelphia mayoral debate held last May and the University’s highly successful voter registration campaign in which more than 2,000 students registered to vote.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Department of Bioscience to Present Lecture: "Ecosystem Trajectories and Coastal Ecosystem Restoration"

The Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology and the DuPont “Clear into the Future” Lecture Series will present a lecture “Ecosystem Trajectories and Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Targets,”  on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, from 7 to 8 p.m. in room 113, Stratton Hall (32nd and Chestnut Streets). 

The lecture will be presented by Dr. Carlos Duarte, research professor in the Natural Resources Department at the Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados in Spain.

This event is free and open to the public.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
2008 Hermes Expo: Travel and Tourism Conference Today

Dr. George P. Tsetsekos, dean of the LeBow College of Business, will welcome the 17th Hermes Expo International, a conference on travel and tourism, today, April 11, 2008, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center (Market Street between 31st and 32nd Streets).

The conference will be followed by a "Taste of the Mediterranean" event, opportunities for one-on-one meetings and a networking reception.

The Hermes Expo International is supported by the International Trade Office, City of Philadelphia, World Trade Center and Delco Press Club and is sponsored by The Koromilioton Society of Kilkis in Wilmington, DE.

To register for this event, visit http://www.hermesexpo.com/register.html .

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Live Television Town Hall Meeting on Alzheimer's Tonight on WHYY-TV

WHYY will present a live town hall panel discussion "Alzheimer's: Are We Prepared?" including Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez (above), associate professor in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, today, April 11, 2008, from 8 to 9 p.m. on WHYY-TV and webcast at http://www.whyy.org.

WHYY's Tracey Matisak will host the program and engage a panel of experts in dialogue with a studio audience.

Panelists include:

• John Q. Trojanowski, M.D, Ph.D, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
• Elizabeth Gonzalez, Ph.D., MSN, Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
• Joseph Bohovic, RN., Philadelphia Corporation for Aging
• Claire Day, Alzheimer's Association, Delaware Valley Chapter

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
CEO Workshop Today: "Getting to Know Your Personality"

Nicole Sestito, Student Counseling Center, Center City Hahnemann Campus, will present "Getting to Know Your Personality: A Workshop to Understand Personality Styles," today, April 11, 2008, from noon to 1 p.m. in room 310, Bellet Building (1505 Race Street).

People often wonder what makes up their personality. Using the latest research in personality science, this workshop will give attendees the opportunity to assess their own personality styles from a well-researched and validated model of personality. The personality styles will be described in detail and a discussion will follow regarding the implications of these styles on other aspects of life (e.g., job, relationships).

The workshop is open to all students, faculty and staff.

Refreshments will be served.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
A Frank Conversation with Book Review Editor Frank Wilson Today

The College of Arts and Sciences, the Certificate Program in Writing and Publishing in the Department of English and Philosophy and Magnificent Minds will present “A Frank Conversation with Frank Wilson” today, April 11, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Paul Peck Alumni Center (32nd and Market Streets).

Frank Wilson (above) is the recently retired, long-time book review editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer and writer of the popular literary blog, Books, Inq .  He will discuss, among other topics: 

• Book reviewing (including how books get chosen, how one gets to write reviews, what pressures a book review editor faces, what makes a book reviewer good)
• The Philadelphia Inquirer (including why Wilson left)
• Trends in book publishing and writing
• The state of journalism
• Blogging and how blogging intersects with any and all of the above

This is not a lecture, but a conversation. Anyone interested in the literary life and book publishing are invited to bring friends, questions and ideas. 

This event is free and open to the public.  Refreshments will be served.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Computer Science to Present: "Learning the Data Representation for Modeling, Classification and Clustering" Today

The Department of Computer Science will present the lecture "Learning the Representation for Modeling, Classification and Clustering Problems with Energy-based Component Analysis Methods," today, April 11, 2008 at 11 a.m. in room 153, University Crossings (32nd and Market Streets).

Dr. Fernando De la Torre of Carnegie Mellon University will be the speaker.

Selecting a good data representation is a key aspect of any modeling, classification or clustering algorithm. Component Analysis (CA) methods have been used as a feature extraction step in numerous visual, graphics and signal processing tasks. This talk will describe a unified framework for energy-based learning in CA methods. It will propose several extensions to CA methods to learn linear and non-linear data representations to improve performance for classification, clustering and modeling/visual tracking problems.

This lecture is part of the Computer Science Colloquium Series.

For more information, email David Breen at david@cs.drexel.edu .

Approved under the authority of Stephen W. Director, Provost

 
Drexel Players to Present Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead This Weekend

The Drexel Players in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design will present Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead on Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13, 2008, at 7 p.m. at Stein Auditorium, Nesbitt Hall (33rd and Market Streets).

In the play, Hamlet is metaphysically re-imagined through the story of two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. These hapless characters find themselves caught up in a plot to betray their friend, Prince Hamlet, as Stoppard explores the nature of mortality and fate.

The play is directed by Joshua L. Browns ('98) theater instructor and manager of the Mandell Theater and is produced by Bill Pollock, director of the theater program.

Browns, co-founding company member and associate artistic director of the Commonwealth Classic Theater Company, directs a cast of 14 students drawn from all University majors. 

The performance is free and open to the public.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Panel Discussion: "Let's Talk Relationships"

The West Philadelphia Campus Community Consortium and the Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership will present a panel discussion "Let's Talk Relationships" on Saturday, April 12, 2008, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center (Market Street between 31st and 32nd Streets).

Panelists will be: Edwin Desamour, education specialist for Women Organized Against Rape and founder of Men in Motion in the Community; Vashti Bledsoe, counseling supervisor, Lutheran Settlement House; and Dr. Lisa Bowleg, associate professor, School of Public Health. The moderator will be Lynn Yeakel, director, the Drexel University College of Medicine's Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Pi Kappa Alpha to Host 2nd Annual Relay for Life This Weekend

Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, in association with the American Cancer Society, will host its 2nd Annual Drexel Relay for Life event from Saturday, April 12 at 5 p.m. to Sunday, April 13, 2008, at 7 a.m. in front of the Daskalakis Athletic Center (33rd and Market Streets).

Relay for Life is the primary annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, and last year Drexel students, faculty and friends raised $11,000 for cancer research and education.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
IFC to Sponsor Volleyball Tournament Today

The Interfraternity Council will host a volleyball tournament, open and free for all students, today, April 11, 2008, beginning at 4 p.m. at Buckley Green (33rd and Arch Streets).

This competition will be a double-elimination tournament with prizes for the top teams.

Teams of four can register by "wallpost" on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9789995100 . Unregistered teams can sign up at the start of the tournament this afternoon.

Approved under the authority of James Tucker, Senior Vice President for Student Life and Administrative Services

 
Interfaith Council to Host Trip to Holocaust Museum This Weekend

The Interfaith Council will host a visit to the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, April 13, 2008.

Join the Interfaith Council on a bus trip leaving at 8:30 a.m. to Washington, D.C.

The participant fee is $5 (includes museum, bus, and breakfast).

Reservations are being taken at the Office of Campus Activities in room 215, Creese Student Center (32nd and Chestnut Streets).

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Center City Campus Free Movie Tonight: Lions for Lambs

The Office of University Student Life will screen the movie Lions for Lambs today, April 11, 2008 at 7 p.m. in Geary B Auditorium on the first floor, New College Building (245 N. 15th Street).

This screening is free for all students and their guests.

Lions for Lambs, the story of three converging, interconnected lives, stars Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. Two determined students, Arian and Ernest, follow the inspiration of their idealistic professor and make the bold decision to join the battle in Afghanistan. On the other side of the world in Washington D.C., charismatic presidential hopeful Senator Jasper Irving is about to give a bombshell story to a probing TV journalist that may affect the fate of Arian and Ernest.

For more information about the free Friday night movie series at the Center City Campus, visit University Student Life's Web site at http://www.drexel.edu/cchc/studentlife/Campus_Life/Free_Movie_Series.html .

For questions about the film screenings, call 215-762-1410 or email studentlife.cchc@drexel.edu .

Approved under the authority of James Tucker, Senior Vice President for Student Life and Administrative Services

 
Physician Assistant Programs to Host Philabundance Fundraiser Tonight

Physician Assistant students from the University and other area Physician Assistant Programs in the area will host a fundraising event to benefit Philabundance today, April 11, 2008, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Bayou Bar and Grill (4245 Main Street in Manayunk).

Each year, the Physician Assistant Programs choose a charity to support, and this year the programs are supporting the mission of Philabundance to end hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley.

A $5 donation can be made at the door. (Ask for the charity event.)

One-hundred percent of donations will benefit Philabundance.

There will be beverage and food specials from 6 to 10 p.m.

For more information, email Julie Knaus at jk523@drexel.edu or call 570-762-1232.

Approved under the authority of James Tucker, Senior Vice President for Student Life and Administrative Services

 
Now Recruiting Students for Performance with Bread and Puppet

Bread and Puppet, one of the oldest non-profit, self-supporting theatrical companies in the U.S., is coming to campus at the invitation of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design from Thursday, April 17 through Saturday, April 19, 2008 to enact its radical utopian vision in cardboard and cloth. 

The theater company has performed for over forty years, from the spectacle of its larger-than-life puppets at Vietnam War protests in New York City to the pageantry of its long-running (over 25 years) annual event "Our Domestic Resurrection Circus" in Glover, Vermont.

The performers will hold workshops to train student performers so that they can participate in a Bread and Puppet performance of the “Divine Reality Comedy Circus” on The Quad. The workshops will be held Friday morning, April 18 in the Living Arts Lounge and Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, April 19 on The Quad (Between Market and Chestnut and 32nd and 33rd Streets). Students who complete the workshops will be given the opportunity to participate in the “Divine Reality Comedy Circus,” the Bread and Puppet's culminating performance on Saturday, April 19 on The Quad.

Workshops, open to all students, will consist of an afternoon of puppetry and skit creation to learn state-of–the-art street theater.

Student musicians are invited to join the Circus Brass Band, the Bread and Puppet Theater band, which performs during the “Divine Reality Comedy Circus.”

The Company is looking for 10-15 volunteers, not including musicians.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
New Preferred Vendor for Hon Furniture Products

University Procurement announces a new preferred furniture vendor for Hon products: Alpha Office Furniture Flooring & Supplies, a full-service diversity supplier providing office and school furniture.

Direct all requests for product and pricing to Cheryl Greer at 215-510-1142 or email CherylG@ALPHAOS.COM .

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
Public Exhibition and Lecture: Japanese Prints from The Drexel Collection™

Rare Japanese prints from the Edo Period, donated to the University by founder Anthony J. Drexel's son-in-law, James W. Paul, Jr., are currently on display in an exhibition at the Rincliffe Gallery on the third floor of Main Building (32nd and Chestnut Streets) through Friday, May 16, 2008.

Drexel alumna Andrea Good '07 was inspired to create the exhibition when she learned of the Japanese woodblock prints in an art history class, "Japanese Art and Culture," with assistant professor of art history, Dr. Pia Brancaccio.

Woodblock printing was first used in Japan during the 6th century, but became popular during the Edo Period (1615-1868) when book production was encouraged. Stories performed in the popular Kabuki Theater were taken from Japanese history, mythology or everyday life. These prints were made of scenes performed by Kabuki actors.

Save the Date: On May 7 at 6 p.m., Dr. Brancaccio will give a lecture on the exhibition in the Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery, third floor, Main Building (32nd and Chestnut Streets).

The lecture is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Jacqueline DeGroff, curator, The Drexel Collection™, by calling 215-895-0480 or emailing drexelcollection@drexel.edu .

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

 
2007 W-2 Forms and TurboTax Option

As a reminder for the April 15, 2008 IRS tax filing date, employees who elected to receive their W-2s electronically can print the form at any time from any computer with Internet access. In addition, active employees who have lost or misplaced their form can print a replacement whether or not they opted for electronic delivery.

Active employees have unlimited access to their forms via DrexelOne at https://one.drexel.edu . Instructions for accessing and printing the form are available at http://www.drexel.edu/depts/compt/payroll/online_w2.html .

If employees have forgotten their DrexelOne User ID, they can contact the IRT help desk at consult@drexel.edu .
For personal security, employees are encouraged to print their W-2 at home. If the form is printed from their workstations, they should immediately retrieve the form from the office printer.

For more information, email the Payroll Department at payroll@drexel.edu or call 215-895-2885.

TurboTax Import Feature

Employees who enrolled in the TurboTax import feature have the ability to import W-2 information from the University or Drexel University College of Medicine directly into the TurboTax forms. This functionality also supports the filing of electronic tax returns. Visit http://www.drexel.edu/depts/compt/taxoffice/w2import.html to learn more about this process.

Approved under the authority of Thomas Elzey, Senior Vice President for Finance

 
Skin Cancer Educational Study by Appointment

Fox Chase Cancer Center and the University will host a volunteer tanning study on Drexel's campus. Time and place for the volunteer visits will be set up by appointment.

Volunteers should be adults ages 18-24 who do, or have, any of the following:

• Tan indoors or out
• Sometimes go without sunscreen
• Burn, peel, or blister
• Have skin cancer in family history

If volunteers meet these conditions, they may be eligible to participate in the educational/counseling survey and study. The investigators are Dr. Carolyn Heckman, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Dr. Jackie Kloss, Department of Psychology, Drexel University.

Participants will have personalized photographic assessments. Compensation for time is $5-$15 for each of four sessions and the opportunity to win a $50 raffle at each time-point, plus a small, possible bonus.

Approved under the authority of Stephen W. Director, Provost

 
Save the Date: Inspire a Child to Dream Day

Inspire a Child to Dream Day (Take Your Daughter/Son to Work Day) will be held on the University City Main Campus on Thursday, April 24, 2008.

The program includes group sessions and programs organized by various University departments. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participating children. Inspire a Child to Dream Day is open to the children and family members (ages 8-14) of all Drexel faculty and staff.

To register a child for Inspire a Child to Dream Day, download and complete the registration and parental consent forms (both required) at http://www.drexel.edu/eo/inspirechild.html .

All forms should be submitted by April 18 to Jennifer Jerdon in the Office of Equality and Diversity, Suite 210, 3201 Arch Street.

Faculty, staff and student volunteers are still needed to host activities and escort children. If anyone (or his/her department) would like to host an activity for Inspire a Child to Dream Day or become a student volunteer, email Jennifer Jerdon at jj329@drexel.edu or call 215-895-1405.

Approved under the authority of James Tucker, Senior Vice President for Student Life and Administrative Services

 
Computer Science to Present a Talk on Systems Design and Analysis for Laboratory Automation

The Department of Computer Science will present "Automated Laboratory System Design and Analysis Using Petri Nets," on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 11 a.m. in room 153, University Crossings (32nd and Market Streets).

Dr. Mark Russo of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute will be the speaker.

The field of laboratory automation involves the development and application of advanced technologies in an effort to accelerate and dramatically improve laboratory research. This talk will introduce the field of laboratory automation and explore Petri nets as an important tool for successfully designing and analyzing this new class of laboratory automation system. Topics covered will include deadlock detection and exclusion, throughput estimation and controller design.

This talk is part of the Computer Science Colloquium Series.

Approved under the authority of Stephen W. Director, Provost

 
In Memoriam:  Dr. Sam Kurokawa, Dr. Maria Rotter

Dr. Sam Kurokawa, assistant professor of management

Dr. Sam Kurokawa (above) assistant professor of management, died suddenly on Sunday, April 6, 2008, while attending a judo match with the Drexel Judo Club. Dr. Kurokawa joined Drexel in 2001. As a member of LeBow College's faculty he made significant research contributions in innovation, entrepreneurship and technology. Dr. Kurokawa's work was respected by colleagues around the globe. He also had a variety of interests outside academia including amateur radio, classical guitar and martial arts. A second-degree black-belt, he was the driving force behind Drexel's Judo Club.

He was born in Himeji, Japan and prior to joining the faculty at LeBow College, he served as associate professor in management of technology at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering from 1996 to 2001. He earned his B.A. and M.B.A. from Kobe University, Kobe, Japan and his Ph.D. in Management of Technological Innovation from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

There will be a funeral service for Dr. Kurokawa today, April 11, 2008, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Stretch Funeral Home, 236 E. Eagle Road, Havertown, PA. The family requests that all attendees arrive prior to 6:40 p.m.

Dr. Maria Rotter, assistant professor of physics

Dr. Maria Rotter (above), assistant professor in the Department of Physics, died suddenly on Monday, April 7, 2008. Dr. Rotter made significant contributions to understanding the behavior of sickle hemoglobin, most notably how polymerization is affected in the presence of other inert molecules, often called molecular crowding. This work led to her recent publication in the Journal of Molecular Biology suggesting that the major therapy for the disease does not function as previously expected—a finding that could lead someday to improved lives for those affected.  

Dr. Rotter joined the Department of Physics in 1998, co-authoring 11 papers from that time to the present and was the first author of five of those papers. She received her Ph.D. from the Leningrad Nuclear Physics Institute in 1980. In 1988, Dr. Rotter was credited with "The Best Work of the Year of the St. Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute."

There will be a funeral service for Dr. Rotter on Monday, April 14, 2008, at the Donahue Funeral Home, 43 W. Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, PA. Calling hours from 10:30 to 11 a.m. A prayer service will begin at 11 a.m.

Approved under the authority of Philip Terranova, Vice President for University Relations

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